DO YOU WANT TO GO TO ITALY? YOU WILL NEED A VISA!

An entry visa is a permit required by persons wishing to enter Italy for a temporary visit. Depending on the purpose and duration of your stay in Italy you can either apply for a short-term "Schengen visa" (C visa) or for a long-term "Italian national visa" for stays over 90 days (D Visa).C visas are generally issued for tourism, business travel, family visits.Long-stay visas (national D visas) are issued for stays exceeding 3 months. The main reasons for issuing this type of visa are study, work and family reunion.You can find general information on visas below. In order to understand which is the visa category that better suits your need please visit the page Un visto per l’Italia . For further information on each type of visa and requisite documents, please refer to the entries in the above menu.

All nationals of countries whose citizens are subject to visa obligation (please, check here the list) legally residing in the consular jurisdiction of the Embassy.

All nationals of countries whose citizens are subject to visa obligation who are legally present in India on temporary basis and can present a credible justification for lodging an application in India rather than in their country of residence. The Embassy of Italy in Delhi retains the right to evaluate the justification provided and to receive or not the visa applications.

ACCEPTED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS:

Here you can download an excel file spelling out, for each third country and territorial entity, which travel documents are accepted by Italy (and by other Schengen countries). As far as India is concerned, the document specifies that Italy accepts Indian ordinary, diplomatic and service passports.

Please be informed that passport\travel document must:

Have been issued within the previous 10 years, and its validity must not exceed 10 years;

RESIDENCY CRITERIA

The Embassy of Italy in Delhi could accept applications only from Indian applicants residing in the areas under its jurisdiction, i.e. Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Chandigarh.

In order to apply for a visa you should have been legally residing in the relevant consular jurisdiction for at least 6 months.However, an application may be accepted from a person legally present – but not residing – in the jurisdiction of the consulate where the application is submitted, if he can justify in a credible manner (supplying relevant documents and certificates) why the application could not be lodged in his place of residence. It is for the consulate to appreciate whether the justification presented by the applicant is acceptable.

Example: Amandeep resides in the US where she’s studying at Columbia University. Like every year, during summer she comes back to India for two week to visit her family. After that, she wishes to proceed to Italy to visit Rome and Florence. She wishes to apply for the visa to travel to Italy at the Italian Embassy in Delhi. She claims that the waiting time for obtaining an appointment for submitting the application at the Italian consulate in New York is too long.

In this case, the Embassy of Italy in Delhi will not accept to deal with the application, because Amandeep’s justification is unfounded. Amandeep should have applied for the Italian visa in New York.

If the travel destination includes more than one Schengen Member State, the application must be dealt with by the Embassy/Consulate of the main destination. The main destination is understood to be the destination where the applicant intends to spend the longest time or where the main purpose of the intended journey is carried out.

WHEN TO APPLY?

Visa applicants are hereby informed that applications cannot be lodged earlier than three months before the start of the intended journey.Therefore duly completed applications may be submitted three months onward prior to the confirmed travel date. As applications peak during the months of April through July, it is advisable to apply well in advance. This will help towards the smooth organisation of your trip to Italy.

The time it takes to process an application at the Embassy varies but decisions on C visas are generally reached within 15 calendar days. Some cases might take longer due to special circumstances. Processing times for D visas are on average longer, taken into account the very accurate and thorough examination they are submitted to (and that can include a series of additional verifications) and the high volume of requests.

Please also be informed that processing times for a C Visa are up to 15 working days. If you wish to submit your application last minute, just few days before your departure, you can do it at your own peril but there is no assurance that your visa will be processed on time for your flight.

In any case, please note that applying for a visa is a process that could end both with the issuance of a visa or with a refusal. You are invited thus to seek for refundable tickets and hotel bookings. In any case the Embassy of Italy is not responsible for any financial loss connected to your trip and in which you can incur if the visa is not granted.

If you are applying directly at the Embassy, please note that Visa Application form can be filled online at this website http://e-applicationvisa.esteri.it . The print out of complete form along with the system generated barcode may be submitted at the Embassy in order to speed up the application submission process.

The use of the Visa Application Centres is not mandatory; the resulting additional costs are to be paid directly to VFS Global. All applications will be assessed and decided by the Visa Section of the Italian Embassy, in accordance with the Italian / Schengen immigration legislation and policy. VFS Application Centre staff does not have the authority to assess visa applications or make visa decisions.

IMPORTANT NOTICE ON FRAUDULENT PRACTICES:

All applicants are recommended to distrust from agencies/agents/brokers/VFS staff/translator offering visa facilitation services upon payment of additional fees and they are requested to report any such case and/or names of potential mediators to the Italian Embassy in New Delhi.Distrust from people claiming to know “shortcuts” and promising fast track evaluation of visa applications and/or a guaranteeing in advance a positive outcome of the procedure.No local employee of the Visa section of this Embassy has decisional power on visa applications. VFS Application Centre staff does not have the authority to assess visa applications or make visa decisions

The Embassy entertains no relation with sellers outside its premises or outside the VFS Global offices who offer services for payment. No sellers can influence either the processing period or the decision.

Correct visa fees for each kind of visa are specified in the section below.

In addition to the visa fees, persons applying through our outsourcing agency, VFS Global, are required to pay the VFS service charge of INR 1015/-. Additional services (photocopying etc) at VFS are provided at a cost which is always clearly mentioned on the VFS Global’s website (www.vfs-italy.co.in).

Apart from visa fee and VFS service fee, in family reunion cases you may be required to pay an additional verification fee for further investigations to be conducted in accordance with the provision of art. 2 bis of DPR 394/1999.

In case of requests exceeding the above mentioned amounts or if you find that any of the Embassy, or VFS Global staff or any other persons offers you a visa for money (in addition to the visa fee, the service fee and, if applicable, the verification fee), for other favours or else behaves in a corrupt way or if you remark any other alleged irregularity concerning visa procedures fees, you are invited to write an e-mail to visti.ambnewdelhi@esteri.it

Please be aware that anonymous e-mails or e-mails without a valid contact number will not be taken into consideration. General complaints or enquiries should also be addressed to visti.ambnewdelhi@esteri.it

children from the age of 6 years and below the age of 12 years: 35 euro

Visa fees are waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:

children under 6 years

school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training

researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research

representatives of non-profit organisations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events organised by non-profit organisations

EU/EEA citizens family members, when accompanying or joining the EU/EEA relative, falling under Directive 2004/38/CE and Italian Legislative Decree 30/2007:

a) spouses;

b) partner (in case of bounding civil union, compared by hosting Member State’s law to marriage and not in violation of hosting Member State law);

If you are applying at the Embassy please note that w.e.f. 24 June 2014 the Embassy of Italy will be accepting applications visa fee in the form of Demand draft only. Embassy of Italy will not entertain any other mode of payment. Demand draft needs to be made in favor of "Italian Embassy" payable at New Delhi.

If you are applying in a visa application centre in cash or by demand draft or NEFT. If you apply at the VFS visa application center you will be charged the additional outsourcer’s service fee. INR 1015/-

BIOMETRIC DATA COLLECTION (VISA INFORMATION SYSTEM)

As from late 2015, all Schengen visa applicants are required to provide their biometric data (10 fingerprints and a photo) when applying for a Schengen visa. All applicants will have to apply in person when fingerprints have to be taken for the first time. Since biometric data information are stored for five years, in case of following visa applications it won’t be necessary to come again in person. It is a simple and quick procedure that only takes a few minutes.

Exemptions from the fingerprinting requirement are provided for a limited number of applicants, including children under the age of twelve and persons for whom the collection of fingerprints is physically impossible. Heads of State and members of the federal government (not of Parliaments or state governments!) with members of their official delegation and spouses will also be exempted, if travelling for official purposes.For more information please refer to this document, and also read the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs webpage and the website of the European Commission.Italy does not require fingerprint capture for national visas.

EU/EEA CITIZENS' FAMILY MEMBERS:

EU/EEA citizens family members benefit of a privileged treatment accorded by law (Directive 2004/38/CE and Italian Legislative Decree 30/2007) and are exempted from visa fees.

EU/EEA family members, as indicated by EU Directive 2004/38/CE , can submit visa applications Tuesday and Thursday from 10.30 am to 13.00 am. In order to be granted access to the Embassy's premises, please bring with you marriage (or) family (or) birth certificate to prove family relation with the EU citizen. EU/EEA citizens family members will be given an appointment on priority for submission of the application directly at Embassy by calling at VFS Helpline Number +91 22 67866004. VFS will not charge EU/EEA family members for this service of telephonic appointment booking.

TIMINGS FOR SUBMITTING REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

All applicants who submitted their visa application at the embassy counter and are required to submit further documents may submit them on tuesday and thursday between 15:00 to 16:00. Prior appointment is mandatory.

IN LINE WITH THE EMBASSY

For queries related to visas, the Embassy has activated a line everyday from 11:00 to 13:00. The number to call is: (0)11-26114355 (follow the voice instructions)You can submit queries via email writing to: visti.newdelhi@esteri.it

NEVER USE THE ERMERGENCY PHONE OF THE EMBASSY FOR VISA-RELATED QUERIES.

The Embassy does not disclose details on visa application on the phone nor gives information on the status nor answer to questions whose content is already covered by this websites.For tracking your visa status connect to the VFS website: www.vfs-italy.co.in

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Holding a valid visa does not automatically give the right of entry to Schengen area

Please, be aware that holding a short-stay visa does not automatically entitle to enter Schengen area. Once arrived at Schengen border control, or during other controls, travellers may be asked to provide information on means of support, on how long they intend to stay in the Schengen State, and why they are visiting the Schengen State.It is therefore recommended to carry with you copies of the documents presented when you applied for the visa (e.g. letters of invitation, travel confirmations, other documents stating the purpose of stay). For more information, please read art. 5 of Schengen borders code .

What happens if visa is refused

Negative decisions on applications are notified to the applicant. In the refusal letter reasons on which refusal decision was taken are clearly stated. Visa applicants whose applications are refused can decide to apply again or to appeal. Appeals must be brought against refusal decisions directly at the T.A.R. of the Latium Region, through a lawyer acting on applicant behalf, within 60 days of the serving of the decision itself. The appeal will have to be notified, under penalty of nullity (as per art. 144 of C.P.C. and art. 11 of R.D. no. 1611 of 1933), to the relevant "Avvocatura dello Stato".

For family reunion visas only, appeals must be addressed to the ordinary court (“Tribunale ordinario”) of the place of residence of the family member living in Italy.

How to read a Schengen visa sticker and correctly use your Schengen visa

“Duration of stay … days” indicates the number of days you may stay in the Schengen area. The days should be counted from the date you enter the Schengen area (the entry stamp) to the date you exit the Schengen area (the exit stamp), i.e. both days included. The period of time between “From … until” is usually longer than the number of days printed in the “Duration of stay”. The difference in period is meant to give you flexibility to plan your entry into and exit from the Schengen area, but your stay in the Schengen area must never exceed the exact number of days in the “Duration of stay … days” filed. No matter how many days you have stayed in the Schengen area, you must leave no later than the date printed in the “Until” field. Schengen visas entitle to one or two or multiple entries. Travelers who often need to go to Schengen area can apply for multi-entry visas up to 5 years. In case you are a multi-entry visa holder, please remember that for intended stays on the territory of the Member States duration of stay cannot be more than 90 days in any 180-day period, which entails considering the 180-day period preceding each day of stay. In order to avoid over-stay or to better know how many days you can still stay in Schengen territory, please check the European Commission calculator.

How to correctly use your Italian national visa

All Italian national visa holders, once arrived in Italy must convert their visa into a residence permit (“permesso di soggiorno”) applying within 8 days from first entry in Italy. Applications must be submitted to relevant police authorities (“Questura”) of the Province of intended residence. Residence permit duration will be the same as indicated in the visa. Residence permits can be renovated or extended directly in Italy. To know the relevant police authority according to your destination, please check the following website.